The Janissary Corps was the Ottoman Empire’s standing infantry army, paid by and directly answerable to the sultan. Its founding is usually placed in the 14th century, in the first years of Ottoman expansion; historians disagree about the exact date and founder. For roughly five hundred years the corps was both the state’s most important fighting force and, at times, its biggest political problem.

The sultan’s household troops

“Janissary” comes from the Turkish yeniçeri, “new soldier.” Unlike the sipahi cavalry, who fought in return for income from land, Janissaries drew salaries from the treasury, lived in barracks and counted as the sultan’s kapıkulu, his “slaves of the Porte.” This gave the Ottomans a force that was ready for campaign at all times.

The devshirme

For a long time the corps was recruited through the devshirme. Boys chosen from Christian villages in the Balkans were brought to Istanbul, learned Turkish and Muslim customs, and received military training. The most talented could rise to palace service and even the highest offices of state. The architect Sinan came to the capital this way; read more in our Mimar Sinan article.

Cauldrons, barracks and customs

Food and the cooking cauldron held a central place in Janissary life. Units carried kitchen titles such as “soup-maker” and “cook,” and the cauldron was one of the corps’ symbols. Overturning it or refusing the meal is described as a way for soldiers to show discontent. The mehter, the military band associated with the Janissaries, provided music for campaigns and ceremonies.

Rise and conquest

Janissaries played a major part in Ottoman field battles and sieges. The conquest of Constantinople and the campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent are linked to the corps at its height. For more, see The Conquest of Constantinople.

Transformation and revolt

Over time the corps changed. Janissaries were allowed to marry and take up trades, the devshirme gave way to other forms of enrollment, and the rolls grew. Pay and accession gifts often caused friction. At various moments Janissaries were involved in events that led to the removal or death of sultans and viziers; among the best known are the killing of Osman II in 1622 and the deposition of Selim III in 1807. The 1730 revolt is told in our Tulip Era article.

The Auspicious Incident (1826)

Efforts to build a European-style army had met resistance from the corps. After years of preparation, Mahmud II moved in the summer of 1826 to create the new army. The Janissaries rose and gathered in Istanbul, but were put down by troops loyal to the sultan and by artillery. The corps was abolished and replaced by a new standing army. The event is remembered as the Vaka-i Hayriyye, the “Auspicious Incident.”

Where to see it today

To get a feel for the Janissaries’ Istanbul, walk around the Hippodrome (At Meydanı) in Sultanahmet, where important events of the period are said to have unfolded. The Military Museum presents the mehter tradition and Ottoman military history. Check the museum’s current hours and performances before you go.